"42 years old and still improving" - Balancing elite ultra running and motherhood | Nicole Paton #7

This week I sat down with Shona Farr of Shona Runs Very Slowly to chat about about how she went from being sedentary and managing high blood pressure to becoming a committed runner, shoe enthusiast, and advocate for women in sport. We talk about running for joy rather than pace, the realities of fuelling and recovery, and why it’s never too late to start. Shona shares how running changed her body, mindset, and confidence—and why she wants more older women to feel welcome in the sport. We also get into injury, race-day pressure, running shoes, body image, and the power of community. Key topics: Shona’s journey from walking to becoming a regular runner after a high blood pressure diagnosis.

The best performances in running are rarely just about the finish line. Lucy Bartholomew joins me this week for an honest conversation about racing, recovery, and keeping joy in the sport. She reflects on disappointment, pressure, and how she’s learned to trust the process, focus on consistency, and play the long game. We also spoke about family, social media, comparison, and why simple habits—sleep, eat, train—can matter more than the latest performance trend. This weeks episode is a great listen for women who are chasing big goals while trying to stay connected to why they started. Expect to hear about: Why the process matters more than the podium. Why consistency and patience support a sustainable running career. How comparison and social media can affect your relationship with running. How to cut through the noise around nutrition, supplements, shoes, and recovery gadgets. Why protecting your joy is part of playing the long game.

What if the way to your best performance is to just stop obsessing about where you are in the field? Holly Ranson shares the mindset shift that turned a tough race day into a golden-ticket breakthrough, and why the real performance edge might be learning how to stay present when every instinct says to calculate, chase, and panic. From Tarawera to Western States, Holly opens up about the difference between racing for a result and racing with freedom. She breaks down how a last-minute decision, a stacked women’s field, and a deliberate focus on enjoyment changed everything, and why the same course felt terrible one year and magical the next. You’ll hear: The exact mental tools Holly uses to pull herself back into the moment, including her “be here now” and “helpful thoughts only” cues. Why outcome-obsessed racing can leave you tense, scared, and performing below your ability. What it really takes to get into Western States, from the lottery system to golden tickets and why her entry was so hard-won. How Holly prepared for one of the world’s most iconic ultra races while working full-time and doing a PhD. The reality of funding an elite running career in Australia, and why many top athletes end up looking overseas for support. Holly also traces her path from sailing and triathlon into ultras, including the races that quietly changed everything: 12-hour and 24-hour national records. She talks honestly about the pressure, the post-race blues, the importance of recovery, and how strength training, fuelling, and expert guidance are changing the way she approaches running in her late 30s. This conversation is as much about life as it is about running. If you’ve ever felt like racing, training, work, and everything else is too much at once, Holly’s perspective on consistency, patience, and process will hit home. Essential listening if you love trail and ultra running, want practical mindset tools, or need a reminder that progress is built long before race day. Holly Ranson is an Australian ultra runner, firefighter, and PhD candidate with a background in nutrition, dietetics, and psychology. She’s represented Australia in timed ultra events, won national records, and earned her place at Western States through a golden-ticket race at Tarawera. Timestamps 03:39 - Tarawera: racing for enjoyment and winning the golden ticket. 06:36 - Letting go of outcomes instead of pretending not to care. 11:08 - Simple mental cues: be here now and helpful thoughts only. 14:52 - What Western States is and why entry is so difficult. 18:06 - Course recon, race nerves, and arriving prepared for Western States. 21:06 - How Holly funded the trip and why sponsorship is still a challenge. 24:33 - Holly’s PhD on social influences and firefighters’ eating behaviour. 27:40 - Leaving work, changing structure, and what daily life looks like now. 33:04 - Western States race highlights.

A surprise breakthrough, a brutal injury, and a mindset shift that changed everything - Jessie Speedy opens up about the winding road from school sports to elite trail running, and why the best races often come after you stop forcing them.If you’ve ever wondered how an athlete goes from “just having fun” to representing New Zealand on the world stage, this episode is packed with the kind of honest, behind-the-scenes insight most people never hear. Jessie shares what it really looked like to win Tarawera and UTA, how a first-ever stress fracture forced her to slow down, and why her biggest lessons came from the moments she least expected.You’ll discover: How Jessie rebuilt her running identity after years off with injury The surprising path from accounting and dietetics to elite endurance sport Why social media can quietly distort your relationship with food, training, and body image What trail and mountain racing at World Championships actually feels like, from altitude to aggressive positioning on course The simple mental cues Jessie uses when pain, cramps, or doubt hit mid-race Jessie also gets refreshingly real about the pressure to “do more,” the danger of under-fuelling, and why so many well-meaning athletes accidentally talk themselves into burnout. As a registered dietitian, she breaks down what women runners need to know about energy availability, food quality, and why protein obsession can sometimes miss the bigger picture.At its core, this conversation is about longevity, self-belief, and learning how to keep showing up without losing the joy. Whether you’re a runner, a competitive athlete, or someone trying to find a healthier relationship with training and food, Jessie’s story will make you rethink what progress actually looks like.Perfect for runners who want to stay healthy, perform better, and last longer in the sport without turning every session into a test of worth. And yes, there’s also a very important discussion about Pitbull, aqua jogging, and the best possible running playlist energy. Timestamps: 01:38 - Jessie’s current injury setback and long-term mindset. 04:31 - Why last season may have been too much, too soon. 09:48 - The chaotic, no-warm-up story behind her UTA win. 12:51 - From school sport to late-blooming runner. 15:38 - How social media and diet culture affected her relationship with food. 20:14 - Why restrictive eating can start as “just trying to be healthier”. 24:37 - Rebuilding a healthy relationship with running. 26:40 - Plantar fascia injury and the long road back. 29:33 - Why she aimed for Worlds without obvious proof it was possible. 32:59 - Living and training in Europe before Worlds. 36:00 - What uphill racing at Worlds actually demands. 37:17 - Double-race weekends and how the format affects recovery. 39:38 - Racing the classic course with no expectations. 40:08 - Why being “aggressive” matters on narrow trail courses. 43:55 - Managing cramp and race pain with self-talk. 46:34 - Pitbull, playlists, and the aqua jogging soundtrack. 50:56 - Jessie’s approach to sports nutrition and food-first fuelling. 53:54 - Why protein obsession can crowd out real food and carbs. 60:39 - Signs of low energy availability and when to get help. 62:27 - What’s motivating Jessie right now during rehab. 64:49 - The value of a proper multidisciplinary support team. 69:30 - Jessie’s advice for female runners: have fun first. 72:46 - Why taking pressure off often leads to better racing.

What happens when a woman with no sporting background signs up for one of the world’s toughest marathons, then turns that leap of faith into 300+ kilometre backyard ultra performances? This week I sat down with Sari-Elle Kraemer to hear her story and the hard-earned lessons from the edge of exhaustion. Sari-Elle takes us through her journey from “not sporty at all” to running the Everest Base Camp Marathon, placing top female in major backyard ultras across Australia, and pushing through the kind of challenges that Sari-Elle says help you get to know yourself and your capabilities in a new way. Sari-Elle opens up about the first real injury of her career and the mental battle of being forced to slow down after years of big weeks, long runs, and race after race. You’ll discover: How Sari-Elle went from running around the block in 2019 to tackling Everest Base Camp Marathon. The fundraiser mindset that pushed her to dream bigger and set audacious goals. Why coaching, pacing, recovery, and crew strategy can make or break ultra-distance events. The mindset shifts that help her stay calm when pain, doubt, or fatigue show up in the middle of the night.